Gryphon's Keep
by candelight
Summary: One of the most ancient and deadliest creatures known to specter still exists: The gryphon. Only one still remains-and, after Danny is injured trying to save the wounded bird from Skulker-he is whisked away-straight to Malachite's home in the Ghost Zone!
1. Chapter 1

Gryphon's Keep

~*~*~*~*~

One of the deadliest, fiercest hunters known to specter or man still exists-the gryphon. Majestic though they are…there is no longer a "they," seeing as Skulker has hunted all but one and crushed their eggs. Still, he has the final gryphon on the run, badly wounded….and is about to add another check on the "extinct" chart before Danny steps in. After chasing the hunter off, Danny is kidnapped by the selfsame creature he protected-and whisked away to the Ghost Zone!

* * *

Hello, everyone. Yes, I know I already have half a dozen or so projects to complete, but seeing today IS New Year's Eve and I plan on actually staying AWAKE for it this year, well….I guess I can bid adieu to 2009 with a smile…and, a new tale for the future.

I have always, always, _always_ wanted to have a bird capture one of my favorite characters. ^^ Asinine idea, I know…but the thought was still fairly entertaining for me, and I decided to incorporate Danny with the last gryphon, Malachite.

….it sounded like a good name. Please don't kill me….

Anyhoo, please tell me whether or not I should continue this story!

_Doomo arigatou gozaimasu_! And, a very peaceful _shogatsu_ be yours.

~*~*~

Quote:

_"__Oh I have slipped the surely bonds of earth  
and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.  
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds  
and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of,  
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence._

_And there with silent lifting mind  
I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space  
Put out my hand and touched the face of God."_

_~*~_

Before science raised its ugly, domed head-and began to sniff out tangible answers to the eternal, forever ravenous siege of questions about the universe…others….were born, likewise.

And, like the human, they became flesh, and passed on.

~*~*~

It is said that the restless souls of those from the….beginning….are formulated into today's ghosts.

But no, others argue. That cannot be correct.

Some say that ghosts are the spectral imprint of those who once walked the Earth. In short, anyone can leave a shadow behind-with an obsession, sorrow, lust, time old anger, and thirst for revenge.

Others, however, claim that while no one really does know where the spirits from the "Other World" reside, ghosts can still exhibit many behaviors that are those of the living. Having children-and being able to genetically pass down traits-is but one sign.

But a ghost had to come from SOMEWHERE. How could the shadows suddenly decided to begin to walk the Earth in its breaking Witching Hours out of a whim?

People argue. People fuss.

And, again, there is no final answer-or, at least, there is no answer that leaves the flesh walker remotely "satisfied."

But people are aware of this: Whether the nocturnal wraith that stalks your mind sheds blood or plasma, there is one thing very evident to a frightened child who is peering uncertainly under his bed.

Wherever it comes from, WHATEVER it is, it feels real enough.

As does the fear that invokes the child to bury his head in his pillow, and devoutly wish for daybreak.

~*~*~

Where _this_ particular creature had come from, no one knew.

But, as like the child, they reacted in the most sensible and rational matter of expressing emotion when an enormous, black bird-like a raven grown nineteen times its original size was shrieking in the skies:

They panicked. And mayhem was being well insured that late chilly afternoon in the outskirts of Amity Park as black feathers tore away from the extraordinarily rumpled plumage like raindrops.

The chill was beginning to soak in-even through the sleek, glossy feathers that adorned the crown of her head's plumage.

Weary, fatigued, and with exhalations that made her heart pound ever _fasterfasterfaster _beneath her crest, an enormous shadow continued to whip past the harsh, frozen wasteland below.

Each beat of Malachite's wings was ever more tiring, and ever more burning, as if she'd decided to wade through an ocean of fiery coals-but nonetheless, the bird continued to soar, occasionally screeching as her enormous talons tore through the occasional telephone lines, leaving a fresh horde of dazzling sparks and panicked people screeching in her wake.

Her side continued to scream in continued protest as hot, rich, emerald green plasma continued to lazily slid down her scaly leg-splattering the many concrete sidewalks below from the gash that left many of her now congealed feathers glued to her side.

Where she was-she did not know, and, quite frankly, did not care.

_Trees continued to whip past her body, one haze of bare branches after another._

Winter had never been her favorite season. Such a cold, merciless, _dead_ time of the world. It was a marvel that the skinling humans below managed to stand it for such a long time.

Emphasis on dead. Completing an aerial spin, Malachite doubled back several inches before continuing in the opposite direction-Northeast, in the hopes that HE would get somewhat befuddled.

A few seconds was all the bird truly needed to make her escape. But even if she DID choose to tear a transdimensional hole straight into the ghost zone-that wasn't going to help her too much. Skulker would simply follow in the split time the makeshift portal had in the spirit dimension.

And then, sooner or later, corner the wounded, falcon like creature.

What delicious irony. She, the glorious hunter-and she, the stuff of human myth and legend-was on the run from the very selfsame dark soul that she had desired to slaughter to obtain her long awaited revenge.

Skulker's face loomed in the darkness of her mind, even as he-in a flurry of emerald flames and sparks from his additional rockets on his back-kept up the chase from far behind her, occasionally firing his crossbow with a rogue, sadistic smile. Thankfully, there were small-so he was only doing it to torment her. Still, when the arrows DID find their target, they stung like hundreds of little wasp stings.

~*~*

Her brood-mate and fellow soul, Kalzite, had been slain when Skulker had treacherously landed a shot directly to his noble heart. In his last, few moments, he had squealed a warning to Malachite before staggering about wildly in their home for a few, strangled minutes.

And then, he'd dropped dead.

Malachite had attempted to kill Skulker in retaliation. For, while he'd hunted most of her kind throughout the millennia, she was still alive.

And more then ready to fight.

But then, Skulker had decided to hurt her even more.

He had lured her away from her home- a small, secluded cavern deep into the eternal outskirts of the Zone-and, while she'd been hunting him, he crept into her resting-place.

And broke the final gryphon eggs two weeks before they were due to hatch. When Malachite had returned for a brief drink at the waterfall that flowed over her cavern entrance…

The eggs were smashed, their terrible, frozen fruit motionless.

In her tremendous rage and grief, she'd known that there had been nothing left to live for.

For while she was the final emblem of majesty and regality, her unsuppressed and deep pride had been shattered beyond anything else.

But she would not be left to cower before the hunter and his terrible, terrible smile….oh, gracious, no.

She had continued the pursuit, not really caring if Skulker really found _her_, not really caring if she'd die shortly after the metal one's death, and not really trusting keen senses she'd took great care to hone over the thousand years she'd been alive.

But Skulker had trapped her, like a mouse by a cat. She HAD attempted to fight him, but he'd torn into her with his weaponry, and placed that awful shackle around her leg when she'd been stunned.

Survival instinct had taken over, and she, with her beak and talons, had torn herself a way into the human world.

Into a town called….Amity Park.

~*~*~

But Skulker, reading the device's transmission cuardnets, had followed, sure enough.

And the chase continued, though with her handicap-she wasn't exactly certain if she'd be conscious for much longer.

Cynically, she had to acknowledge it, even as she dove straight through the wooden structure of a nearby billboard-

CRASH!

But, even in the haze of exploding splinters and other debris, she continued to fly, knowing in her state, that intangibility would not last too long. That accursed tracking device -one that would-not-come-OFF, no matter how many times she'd pecked at it-would merely tell continue to beep and tell him where Malachite was.

And, where and how to finish her off.

Heh. She detected a sense of bitter amusement as she continued to ascend altitude.

Death was a curious thing.

One can really only ponder about the exact nature of the grim and happy specter while at its door.

And she knew herself would soon be knocking, if Skulker shot another blast with his sniper.

It was not a common legacy for one so proud and regal for she to anticipate the end so readily. It was not exactly….customary.

But Malachite had never liked tradition, other then keen instinct.

Her eggs had been shattered.. Broken to pieces. As had her husband been.

If she could join them all the sooner, that would be fine with her.

~*~

The flicker of a stern, dilated, crimson eye at the Hunter still in pursuit, still smirking. No doubt he still wanted her head on his wall.

Let him go ahead and try.

_But would he never cease?_

It seemed quite doubtful…and, with good reason.

As people continued to shriek at the appearance of the two ghosts, she hurried into a small den of trees surrounding the sides of a tall, brick-and-white-wash building.

Her vision flickered, and she exhaled.

If she was to make her last stand here, then she would do it.

And gladly.

As she swept her wings in to complete the land, her pupils narrowed into catlike slits as she stumbled onto the ground, using whatever composure and dignity she had left not to stagger onto the Earth.

It hurt.

A lot.

Serpent he was, and, as serpent, he should die. Were it possible to slaughter a ghost, rather then to merely wipe them out of existence-Malachite felt that it quite suitable to readily tear him apart and feast on his insides-no….no.

Who'd want any of THAT nauseous material in HER. And she hated biting metal.

Pecking through it with an iron beak, however….

The sallow ghost soon landed, a deliciously cruel smirk beginning to slide onto his face, green eyes narrowing as he took in the once majestic bird's defiant and broken form.

Fingering his sniper fondly, Skulker began to pace around the glaring bird with a soft, slight chuckle escaping in spite of himself.

~*~*~

Fiery hair rippling with the wild adrenaline that he'd come to love and cherish as a stalker, the ghost soon smiled quite pleasantly at Malachite as his fangs glinted ever so slightly in the freezing hue.

Even better. It simply added to the pleasure and challenge of bringing down one of the final birdbrains he'd pursued for so long.

Their meat was quite tender…and sold for a good token of money in the Ghost Zone. Needless to say, supply would soon be….unable to meet demand. What a pity.

But maybe he'd keep the once lordly bird as a keepsake hunting trophy. It wasn't as if he hadn't been satisfied with ripping the feathers out of her husband, and placing the frozen stiff bird on display with the other fifty-six he'd already…settled….time now long past.

Malachite pawed the ground as he approached. The smirk grew wider.

"Oh…I do love it when my prey puts up a fight. Such a delightful change of pace."

Skulker replaced the sniper in his pack, and drew out something else.

A well monished, somewhat bent to an angle, dagger was brought to the scene, Skulker's gloved hands closing around the hilt in well practiced, easy satisfaction.

"Now, then….shall we…?"

~*~*~

Admittably, while Danny Fenton had scene worse days, he'd also seen better.

Mainly because he'd been forced to borrow the sack from Sam's lunch, and bury his head in it as the jeers continued to taunt him.

It was amazing how Jazz managed to stand it. But then again, her long term claim of, "I was adopted!" hadn't gone completely rotten yet.

It was lunchtime. Jazz was amiably chatting with her friends a few tables away, head underneath a hood she so rarely wore…except in cases like today.

Sam, Danny, and Tucker were at a thankfully deserted table, and Danny still had his face buried in his hands, occasionally groaning.

He REALLY ought to be used to this by now…

~*~*~

Why, oh why, had Mom and Dad found out today was Career Day? He and Jazz had their reminder forms meant to go to Jack and Maddie Fenton shredded, burnt, and then tossed into the Ghost Zone.

Again.

Ever since elementary school, the duo had soundly humiliated the two siblings while they discussed their techniques on…hunting specters.

While that wasn't so bad, considering the enormous population of ghosts that plagued this miserable town to no end, the WAY they did it…

Tucker gave him a sympathetic glance from beside him, casually sipping from his soda as he shook his head.

Thankfully, HIS Dad was just a technician in computer programming. Short, sweet, and to the point. Sam's parents were entrepreneurs….and didn't do much to humiliate Sam, though they often droned on about economical matters that left Sam banging her face against solid material merely to relieve herself of the boredom that plagued her.

But Jack and Maddie Fenton often had the habit of not only pointing their children out from the audience, they referenced the most humiliating tales in their ghostly misadventures.

_"Jazz was so scared, wasn't she, Madds? Poor baby….to this day, she still cuddles Bearbert, or Little Mr. Fuzzyfunnyface at night."_

_"Danny was two years old when we first invented the thermos…oh, Jack, wasn't the cutest? He and Jazz used to dress up all the time back then-and I still have the photo where Danny and Jazzy decided to dress up in your tuxedo and my wedding dress….!"_

_"Yeah. Too bad the tux was a little big, but when Jazz made him try on the dress-"_

_~*~_

Even Mr. Lancer had shot him a pitying glance as Dash meandered over to their table, still smirking.

"Hey, Fentina! Cute pic of you in a dress-your mother handed out complimentary photos! But don't worry-I'll put it to good use….on the internet!"

Qwan snickered as Danny took off the bag, rolling his eyes.

"Gee, thanks." He commented sarcastically, sighing ever so slightly. "Shouldn't you be-oh, I don't know….admiring a brick wall somewhere?"

Dash smirked ever so slightly.

"Well, I dunno about that-it seems like a hobby YOU'RE taking up soon enough, once I squeeze your face INTO one, Fentina."

Looking bored, Dash drew away, nevertheless punching his fists into the opposite palm.

"And…put the bag back on. PLEASE."

Still guffawing, the two absentmindedly ground their fists together, grinning as they made their way down the opposite hall.

Sam sighed before patiently tugging the bag from Danny's hands.

"Danny….c'mon. It could be worse. So your parents are….eccentric," she weakly improvised as Danny groaned and buried his face into his hands.

"But they're gone now, aren't they? And you only have two classes left before it's time to go home."

To this, Danny shook his head.

"Nope. Mom and Dad decided to-"

The lunchroom doors slammed open….causing everyone but Danny and Jazz to startle slightly as Jack and Maddie strode into the room….

…….decked out in eighties hairdos, complete with clothing and jewelry.

Jack lowered his shades as the lunchroom suddenly fell to a deathly, hushed, silence.

Sam's mouth dropped as Jack began to speak.

"Hey, hey! What's up, homies?"

~*~

A split second of silence.

Then, the laughter began.

It exploded like a horde of firecrackers from every side of the lunchroom, as people began to raucously howl into hysterics.

Dash was pounding the ground as he did so, tears of laughter sliding down his face as Jazz slid ever so slightly in her seat….

…..and buried her head in a spelling dictionary as Tucker turned to Sam, and yanked the bag back.

"C'mon, dude. You might need this."

Danny bit his lip as the laughter continued, deftly wishing for it to-

_BANG!_

_~*~_

Like the roar of a gunshot, a blast of emerald, ecto energy fired directly from the opposite wall, brilliant hue flashing in a torrent of sparks as it quite literally tore from the outside….

…straight into the school's foundation, a smoking crater in its wake.

The laughter died almost instantly as Danny staggered up, a whisp of blue mist trailing from his mouth.

~*~*~

As terrified students began to flee the campus, the teen shot a desperate glance at Sam and Tucker, who obliged almost immediately.

The two students hurried in front of their lunch table, just as Danny ducked under it.

Breathing heavy, and vaguely wondering if he should be grateful or not to the specter that was currently running amok at Casper High, Danny managed a small smile as the twilight rings burst into life at his waist.

With a flash of translucent light and sparks as the unearthly chill took over his human flesh and blood, leaving Danny Fenton to disappear in the Phantom's wake.

Danny phased through the wood of their table, green eyes flashing as he-

Froze.

Maddie had staggered back a step-but thankfully, she hadn't noticed the ghost boy's sudden appearance.

Giving a troubled frown to Jack, Maddie seized her hood and goggles that lay underneath her eighties get-up, and seized the Fenton lipstick that hung on her belt.

Jack had already been one step ahead as he seized the Fenton boooomerang and bazooka that oddly accessorized his clothes.

"LET'S ROCK, BABY! Madds, get the RV! I told you there'd be ghosts afoot!"

The two rushed outside the newly made, still smoking crater in the cafeteria, a fierce cry spilling from Jack-emerald blasts of light still exploding into fruition as Jack wildly aimed indiscriminately from his blaster.

~*~

Danny shot his friends a bewildered look as Jazz made it over to them in the onslaught of fleeing students-albeit with some difficulty.

"D-Danny!"

Sam threw Danny a concerned glance, as ectoblasts continued outside, as well as the occasional "A-HA!" from Jack.

"Uh…Danny? D'you just wanna let your parents handle this one? Because you'd just be making your Dad's day if he finds Danny Phantom is somehow invo-"

Danny had been casting a confused glance towards the school's newest…innovation, but, brow creasing, he shook his head ever so slightly.

"A blast like that isn't gonna be from the Box Ghost, Sam. Mom and Dad might not be able to handle this one."

Tucker gave him in an inquisitorial glance, and Danny squeezed his shoulder, a casual grin on his face.

"C'mon-it may not be all that bad. I'll stay outta sight. Meanwhile, you guys better take cover."

With that said, Danny permitted the prickling, tingling sensation of allowing his body to turn intangible take over.

And, Jazz gave the empty air an anxious glance, Danny soared out of the building's stone foundation, white hair rippling as he did so.

~*~

She was losing.

With a frustrated growl of despair, Malachite slipped ever so slightly as she threw her entire, midnight raven clad force at the Hunter…..

…who sidestepped as she did so, feathers dark with ectoplasm as she continued to bleed.

Skulker had finally grown impatient, and he'd reached for his sniper once again.

And his aim was vastly improving.

Malachite rose to the air, swooping slightly as her beak was ridgened for the strike.

But Skulker easily sidestepped the devastating blow, and, while Malachite had swung about in midair to counterattack, he knew he had his chance.

He fired.

Malachite had been forced to roll over in midair as he shot once again, the explosion crackling in midair as the chorus of bolts continued to reverberate into the empty air.

Suddenly, Skulker did a double take, and swung around.

CRASH!

Maddie's aiming was more precise-and had managed to send an ectoplasmic blast directly in the back of Skulker's neck.

With a cry, he stumbled heavily, falling onto his hand as he exceedingly rubbed his now steaming, slightly melted, ectoskeleton appendage.

Maddie glared at the ghost through her goggles, readying to fire again. Jack cheered as he inched beside her, gleaming bazooka set to "liquefy."

"You go, babycakes!"

The woman managed the slightest of smiles-but continued to allow the lipstick to recharge for another attack as the Hunter staggered up, panting.

His smug look had been transfigured to that of cold, blinding fury.

"Stay. Out."

And, in a flash, he angrily reached for a control trigger at his waist, immediately flicking the switch as he held his wrist out.

_"OF MY WAY, FOOLS! I will NOT share my hunting spoils with ANYONE!"_

BANG.

In a binding CRACK, Maddie Fenton let out a startled cry as she was wildly thrown backwards, an ectonet readily enclosing her body as her back slammed directly into the school's steps..

CRUNCH.

With a gasp and a groan of pain-that bruise was going to leave its mark-Maddie pressed a hand to her spinning head, she exhaled slightly.

And passed out, not hearing Jack's frantic cry.

"MADDIE!"

~*~

But, as Jack whipped around to face Skulker, a furious glare on his face-the hunter, much to his bewilderment, had disappeared.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up as a chill wracked his body.

"Peekaboo," said Skulker quite cheerfully, as he fired at Jack's back.

~*~

"Oooompph!"

The large man was forced directly into the titanium of the Fenton ghost assault vehicle, a grunt escaping him as the air from his lungs transfigured into a pained gasp.

"Aaaa…..ahh…….uugghhh…."

With a final grumble of protest, Jack staggered to his knees, and slipped to the ground.

Skulker smirked before turning around ever so slightly.

Now ONE minor annoyance accounted f-

The hunter never finished that thought.

For a brilliantly green wave of fire had directed itself straight at the astonished hunter, just as Malachite had swung down to strike at him once again from the air.

~*~*~

While Skulker JUST missed Malachite's beak, he hadn't been so lucky in escaping Danny's ectoblast.

Glaring, he rolled over, carelessly triggering his rockets to once again become airborne as the young hybrid swept into the scene, enraged green orbs twisting into Skulker's own before glancing downwards.

And the younger hybrid abruptly went pale.

"Mom! DAD!"

Thankfully, Maddie answered to that-albeit with only a groan. Jack muttered something vaguely about "Five more minutes…" and then, something that seemed to be about fudge.

Danny directed his attentions back to Skulker-

Too late.

The ghost fired at him, catching the surprised teen straight in the shoulder, sending him directly to the school lawn with a surprised "Agghh!" of pain.

Skulker growled.

"ENOUGH, ghost whelp! I'll have your pelt soon enough! Now kindly allow me to finish my-"

Danny's eyes widened as Skulker turned his back on him.

But even the thought of attacking had left him as an enormous-an absolutely _enormous_-bird screeched wildly in the air, ectoplasm readily dripping from its side.

~*~*~

Sam's mouth dropped as she rushed to the scene on her scooter, heart pounding.

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton were dazed-but they seemed fine enough. While Jazz helped her father into a sitting position, she and Tucker worked on freeing Mrs. Fenton from the constricting ropes.

Well…she had been, until her mouth dropped.

And she abruptly froze.

There, in the heavens-the size of a fully grown dragon-was a…big bird.

And it didn't seem interested in teaching her the alphabet.

A cruel, sharply intoned beak, with large, crimson irises, it opened its beak to part another shrill screech, gigantic black feathers spilling away from its body.

Tucker swallowed, mouth very dry.

Danny was going to have to fight….that?

"That…is one big chicken."

~*~*~

Malachite glared at the figures that dared to interfere in HER skirmish.

Pitiful creatures. But the silver-haired-youngling had, at the very least, bought her some time.

Should she flee?

Inwardly, she snorted at the cowardly thought.

As if. There was nowhere TO run. Unless she succeeded in killing Skulker, her footsteps would forever be ghosted, and forever bloody.

Fight or flight time. Or, rather, Fight AND flight.

Hopefully, the odd one-the one that neither smelled of ghostly plasm or human flesh-would get out of the way. She was grateful to the hatchling-but she could manage no mercy in her next assault. The boy, for his own sake-had better get out of the way.

~*~*~

Danny's breath constricted as he threw himself back up, gasping.

The bird had bore him a gaze with bloody eyes for a moment or two, then decided to relaunch an attack on the hunter once again, talons extended.

It was bleeding-if ghosts could bleed-rather profusely. Danny had to admit-he was quite amazed the specter had managed to stay afloat for so long-let alone conscious..

Skulker must have been chasing the injured thing for quite a distance, if the incriminating marks were any indication. While it didn't seem interested in attacking him, it certainly had the bloodlust set on Skulker.

Danny flew out of the way-just as Malachite tore at Skulker, roaring as she did so, sending the Skulker directly into the ground with a sickening thud.

Clasping the Fenton thermos, the hybrid winced as Skulker staggered up, brandishing sniper once again.

He was probably going to try and capture the bird once he caught the hunter. Surprisingly, the thought was slightly disappointing.

While the…ghost…bird….thing was magnificent, it would probably attempt to gouge him to pieces once Skulker was gone.

He readied the thermos, aiming it carefully at the ghostly hunter's back.

Easy….easy….now….

~*~

What happened next was surprising. Surprising…and most unfortunate.

Skulker had twisted around ever so slightly before taking to the air, desperate to avoid Malachite's beak once again.

But, from the corners of his eyes, he saw Danny aim at him from a distance.

His insides constricted with rage.

No way was the whelp stealing HIS trophy!

With a slight growl, he ripped a magenta shooter from his waist-one Vlad Masters had once directed him to steal from Axion labs.

One of mankind's most effective warfare artillery….."improved" with ectoplasmic energy.

And he took aim at Danny, shooting once, twice….

Three times.

~*~*~

The first bullet that rushed at him made the boy yelp and nearly drop the thermos, forcing himself into intangibility to avoid it.

But, to his shock, the bullet raced past his thigh-and, the boy could….

….feel it….zip past….

His green eyes widened.

What was WITH these weird-?!

But the bullets seemed to detect his ectoplasmic signature, even in intangibility. With wide eyes, Danny realized that meant-

The second bullet fired.

Catching Danny directly in the leg.

~*~*~

With a frightful crack that echoed like the gunshot, the bullet passed through the bone, effectively and cleanly breaking it.

Jazz's eyes widened in terror as Danny let out a piercing scream….

…and fell.

The bullet had become….intangible….entering his flesh.

But it had readily broken the bone before phasing out. At least Danny wasn't bleeding.

The bullets had been created to only immobilize-not so much as kill.

As the third bullet fired-and effectively whizzed past his arm, leaving behind a large gash-

Danny still began to drop through the sky.

~*~

The wild, cold bolt of agony that had shot through his leg was overwhelming. Danny felt his mind go blank as he phased into human form….

…and began to shoot down towards the Earth, body still screaming in pain as the hunter turned towards Malachite once again.

~*~

Jack had staggered up with a slight moan, unfocused eyes peering dazedly about himself as he watched something faintly with interest fall….or was it flying?

He rubbed at his eyes.

And, got a sickening bolt of absolute and unmistakable terror shoot through him.

Danny.

Danny was shooting towards the Earth like a missile.

And, his left arm was bleeding extensively.

~*~*~

Ignoring the sickening throbs of pain, Jack staggered forward, heart quite ready to stop beating as he extended his arms out.

His child.

_His child-!_

Gray eyes enormous, Jack began to scream in wild, frantic distress.

"DANNY!

If circumstances were any better, Maddie Fenton would have gladly fainted again.

And that had done more then a good, effective way of waking her up, her mind abuzz with fright as she wildly glanced around herself.

In raw fright, she'd heard her Danny-her baby boy-scream as she blindly tugged through the net ropes that the ghost had flung onto her.

And blearily, after refocusing her vision somewhat, her heart had stopped as fresh, wildly frantic screams and shrieks tore from herself.

Her baby.

**_Her precious, precious baby-!_**

_~*~_

It was only inevitable. Malachite winced as she watched the boy drop with a sullen eye.

When he first appeared, Malachite had worried that he might be an accomplice of the hunter-and she had been ready to tear him limb from limb.

But, seeing as both Hunter and ghost-human-child were readily ripping at one another, that was easily dismissed.

_Boy not with hunter-boy not attacking…._

He'd been so prepared to spare the humans below.

_Boy scared, boy bleeding…._

In an honorable battle, was he not supposed to leave the younger or merely address it as an inferior instead of readily attacking it?

She avoided being hit by yet another blast as Danny fell-even faster then before-

Skulker had attempted to shoot her once again.

_Bleeding and cracked….fractured child._

Fractured.. She'd heard the bone break in two.

_Just like her heart had when her family had been left to dust._

_~*~_

_Hunter will die, yes, Hunter shall die and I will feast on his little, tiny heart-_

But first things first.

If there was anything she hated more than getting involved, it was owing someone a favor..

Ignoring the hunter, and now, feeling slightly exasperated, she swept forward.

~*~*~

Jack had been, in his desperation, prepared to catch Danny.

But then, that thing-that oversized pigeon the hunter had been shooting at-

Was swooping directly towards Danny's broken body.

Maddie screamed.

If she shot at the bird, which she so longed to do….

_…she might hit her baby-!_

Whew! Okay….I really, really hope you liked this. Don't worry-Malachite isn't going to let Danny fall.

However, Skulker's still on the prowl…..*Shudders. Idiot.*


	2. Chapter 2

Gryphon's Keep

Objects of Interest

~*~*~*~*~

One of the deadliest, fiercest hunters known to specter or man still exists-the gryphon. Majestic though they are…there is no longer a "they," seeing as Skulker has hunted all but one and crushed their eggs. Still, he has the final gryphon on the run, badly wounded….and is about to add another check on the "extinct" chart before Danny steps in. After chasing the hunter off, Danny is kidnapped by the selfsame creature he protected-and whisked away to the Ghost Zone!

* * *

Hallo, everyone. So far, it seems interest in this story has been rather low….though I guess it's a bit of a peculiar one. If anyone thinks I should just delete the story-and we can pretend it never, ever existed-just let me know, okay?

….ah, well. I hope to get this published as soon as my darn internet is working again.

But enough chit-chat, folks. Danny right now is currently in a good mess of trouble, and we learn a bit more about birds in general. *No goin' to sleep, folks. Birds often find…shiny things they find that catch their interest. Never quite sure of what to do with the glimmering new object of fascination, often, they….

Well….

…you'll just have to find out, no….?

Malachite is extremely intelligent, but her thoughts may come out as a little scattered. I didn't think it somehow fitting for her to think in actual words as in images and dashes. Obviously, she can't talk. ^^

~*~*~

Quote:

_"Oh I have slipped the surely bonds of earth  
and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.  
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds  
and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of,  
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence._

_And there with silent lifting mind  
I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space  
Put out my hand and touched the face of God."_

_~*~_

_Consciousness and unconsciousness flashed through Danny's mind as he continued to drop, each flailing desperately at once another for dominance as a stream of color and ink black shadow continued to intermingle-like that of a nearly ruined watercolor._

_He thought he could vaguely hear someone scream. It was hard to tell. The shock factor building in his veins was far too much. _

_Even the searing pain that had been present in his right arm and leg were somewhat numbed, though no less excruciating. _

Was he falling?

He couldn't tell.

It was difficult to be aware of anything. Except the dull sensation of pain, that was.

His am was still on engulfed in cold fire.

And his leg-

Even worse.

It was rapidly becoming difficult to breathe.

And then, Danny saw white as his body was roughly jerked ever so slightly, lungs deflating as spots danced across his vision.

Without any further anew, the child gagged as he began to violently cough.

And soon, lost consciousness.

~*~*~*~

Luckily for the boy, it was not so hard to catch him.

In a flurry of feathers, while Skulker was blindly stumbling about on the ground, desperate to obtain his focus and last wind, Malachite had allowed her body to swoop into a dive-straight ahead for the child falling three feet, four feet-six-all in under a few split seconds-

Like a falcon, she'd maneuvered herself closer to Danny's freely bleeding body that roughly resembled a discarded, broken puppet, doll, or marionette.

And, like a hawk obtaining prey, her taloned foot had closed itself over the-not-dead-and-not-alive boy.

There was a sharp intake of breath on the ground, and a slight thud. Someone had fainted.

Malachite didn't know who it was, and didn't quite bring herself to care. With another quick glance at the limp-not-moving-but-breathing-child, the clawed appendages closed reassuringly over the limp ghost-ling's body as the gryphon cast her catch an interested glance.

Silver-twinkling-hair had now transfused to raven. And ghost-dead-flesh had now taken on the hue of the living.

Not alive…and not dead.

She had never heard of such a thing. How very fascinating. A ghost hybrid.

How in the world was it possible for someone to be half alive, and half dead?

Inwardly, the gryphon snorted, and made her descent back down to earth, slowly dropping altitude.

She was dead inside, but she still breathed.

Was that not proof of enough?

There had to be a safe position in the air to carefully drop the boy back down. Perhaps on a snowbank, somewhere. It wouldn't do to cause the boy more injury, and Malachite would have hated to clip his…nonexistent wings, but still.

He looked so...._right_ in the sky….rather like one of her own ki-

_BANG!_

Malachite started, circled into a dive, and narrowly avoided another shot-this time fired by Sam.

~*~*~

Jack had fallen into a dead faint the moment Malachite had managed to rescue the boy from eventual death.

But Sam had immediately-with some help from Tucker, and a few grunts between them-raised the fallen Fenton Bazooka straight towards Malachite once she began to drop a few feet in midair.

Sam had mentally urged the beautiful bird to continue to fall, a deep set glare on her features.

No one was going to make a snack out of Danny.

Her fingers inched towards the trigger.

She'd never approved of hunting, but this was the one time she had to take a hint from a still groaning Skulker.

That bird was big enough to kill an unconscious Danny Fenton-who still clutched the boy with a bloody set of claws, dark, dark eyes peering at him with bright interest.

Pondering her prey, huh?

Sam's eyes narrowed.

Not while she was live.

And, she fired directly at Malachite's flank, praying beyond belief that Danny would safely land in a slight puff on a nearby bank.

* * *

Still clasping the boy, Malachite swerved to the right to avoid the next shot, now feeling distinctly panicked….as well as annoyed.

What was this-open season?

She glowered at the skin-lings below.

_Ingrates_. The bird glared at the dark haired girl who'd fired at the bird from below, her violet eyes ablaze as the boy-with-a-red-cap struggled to hold the other end of the oversized weapon.

The little girl had quite a bit of nerve. Malachite respected that as she hovered two or feet above the ground, gently letting go of the boy at last.

He rolled away from her, groaning as his eyes blearily flickered open, then shut.

Malachite felt a slight pang in her quivering heart-but then rapidly shook it off as Skulker's angry roar echoed throughout the school grounds.

And she took to the air once again, leaving Danny on the ground.

_~*~*~_

Maddie had been directly aiming for Malachite's heart with fiery eyes, but, much to her surprise-

Danny fell with a slight gasp onto the snow, as the bird turned a midnight back on him and took, once again, to the air.

_"Danny!"_

~*~*~

The turkey had dropped him on the ground. Not hard-but enough to make the barely conscious lad whimper in discomfort. Maddie cringed in response. Poor baby.

She had to get them out. Much as her pride in her ghost battling hated to admit it, they had to get out of here.

Now.

Her pride for her family came first-as well did her love…

…and rapidly deepening concern.

Aside from a scratch or two-she was alright. Jack…well, at best, Jack didn't look good.

And Danny……

Her heart was throbbing in her throat.

Malachite had dropped Danny. Either it had finally grown tired of being additionally shot at while her boy was still locked in her grasp-making it more difficult to maneuver herself properly….

…or, the ghost-bird wanted to drop the boy someplace where she could scoop him back up after dealing with the hunter.

And then, eat him for breakfast.

Her insides froze, and then, boiled.

She couldn't make a decent shot without fear of hurting Danny by accident until the bird dropped to the ground.

But Sam had nearly caught her just before Maddie had.

The woman was quite impressed-Sam would make a very fine ghost hunter, indeed-but that was the least of her concerns right now.

Much to her distress, Jack was down once again-but Jazz could look after him-if only for a minute or two.

After the bird let Danny's now very wan body drop to the snow, Sam shoved the bazooka aside, only to accidentally leave its full weight on Tucker's body.

"Oooof!"

Tucker stumbled to the ground with a yelp as an enraged Skulker continued to shoot at the

As Jazz attempted to revive a feebly stirring Jack, Maddie ran forwards, more then slightly breathless as another streak of emerald fire roared into the air.

The hunter ghost had recovered.

Heart pounding quite wildly, face deathly pale, Madeline Fenton ran North a few kilo closer to Danny's limp body, blood trickling down from a small cut on her cheek as Jack began to shift ever so slightly, groaning.

Jazz managed a sharp intake of breath, an icy dread beginning to dissipate with hysteric, warm relief.

"DAD!"

~*~*~

This was it. Cold green eyes narrowed.

Once he had birdbrain here stuffed, the little hybrid brat was next.

With a pained scowl, Skulker continued to shoot at Malachite's still fleetfully dodging form, now becoming quite angry as more and more artillery was wasted.

He smirked inwardly.

Well, it wasn't as if he would run out of weapons in a mechanical body equipped with over 547 selections in attacks. And Ember had claimed he couldn't even manage to hunt down a TV remote!

Feh. He rolled his eyes.

Women. Still, he found them much more frightening then a wounded and desperate prey going on the vicious, final counterattack.

Keyword: vicious.

Skulker rose into the air as his aerial rockets continued to propel the ghost into the sky, a slight smirk on his face as he readied the blaster straight for the evading bird's neck.

But, much to his growing frustration, he continued to miss.

If Artemis of The Hunt could see this, she'd have an absolute fit.

Or die in hysteric giggling.

Skulker fired indiscriminately into the sky, Malachite's chest beginning to heave as maneuvering became much more difficult.

She was still losing ectoplasm like there was no tomorrow. Soon enough, she'd slip up out of exhaustion.

And that was the moment Skulker savored, almost as much as the actual victory.

As one tiny error or faulty was inducted, the ghost would force an entire coup de grace on the flailing beast.

And send it hallowing to its doom in a barrage of feathers, emerald, and bullets.

Oh, yeah.

Skulker smirked as he aimed for Malachite's injured foot once again.

He loved this job.

~*~*~*~

Jazz gave her father an uncertain hug as the man dazedly made his way back up, a gloved hand at his head.

"D-Dad!"

She pulled back ever so slightly to give the still unfocused man a worried look.

"You okay…? Don't try and get up, it's…."

The rest of her words were somewhat blurry as Jack rubbed his forehead, looking puzzled.

~*~*~

The man frowned absentmindedly as he tried to recall what had just transpired.

And then, grey eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as they took in Maddie, Sam, and Tucker, (Who was currently rubbing a bruised backside) surround a small body.

One that Jack knew all too well.

Much, much too well.

And was being much, much too still.

The man started, an arctic freeze beginning to flood his already panicked body as he, much to Jazz's alarm, bolted up.

Without another pause, Jack seized her by the arm, and half yanked a yelping girl through the air as he sped his way back to the Fenton RV.

~*~*~

The young hybrid's head currently lay in Maddie's lap while the anxious woman rubbed small circles on the boy's bit of unblemished flesh with her gloved fingertips, occasionally crooning lovingly into the vaguely shifting child's ears.

"Sweetie….it's okay….shhhh…..it's okay…we're going to….get you out of here….."

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling sick to her stomach.

Jazz and Danny were in open range of being hit.

….as were Sam and Tucker…..!

Tucker uneasily rubbed at Danny's shoulders while Sam anxiously glanced at the aerial battle still raging overhead.

With a soft caress at Danny's bruised cheek, she turned ever so slightly to the RV now racing towards them, signature green F flashing in the weak midwinter sun.

~*~*~

And so, it would end.

It really wasn't much of a surprise for the flailing creature, who was still violently struggling against her own limbs-which were dripping in more then just fatigue.

She couldn't hang on that much longer.

And Skulker knew quite well, judging from his painfully smug grin.

How she longed to release a torrent of curses at him.

Eyes narrowing, a brief sadness overtook them as she continued to maintain elevation-albeit a bit wobbily.

Kunzite. She had never earned vengeance for him-nor had she been able to drop Skulker's motionless body at his graveside.

Nor would she be able to avenge her unborn hatchlings.

She quivered slightly, as a soft breeze overtook the already chilly air as she dived to attack once more, knowing, with dim resignation, that it was nothing short of futile.

Maybe she would not receive revenge for her family.

But she could, at the very least, join them soon enough.

~*~*~

Much to Maddie's relief, a now flushed Jack had managed to bring the roaring, gadget laden gas guzzler over to the now haggled four, and Jazz could be seen waving in the front seat.

She inhaled ever so slightly.

Okay.

They needed to take Danny to the hospital. ASAP. Stat.

NOW.

As Jack hurriedly wrenched the RV to a screeching halt and gestured wildly at something, the woman, boy, and girl cast their glances from the enormous vehicle-back to the ground where Danny lay.

Maddie managed a startled shriek before voicing had become absolutely impossible out of sheer, creeping dread.

Correction:

Where Danny HAD laid…..

~*~*~

Every fiber of his screaming flesh was screaming for release as Danny fell to the ground again with a slight grunt, limbs roaring in shrill protest as his now ungloved, violently trembling fingers clasped the cold metal of the Fenton Ghost Thermos.

Shuddering, the boy continued to drag himself through the snow, inching ever closer to where Skulker had cornered the shuddering, shrieking bird into a corner on the ground.

He had to seriously admire this bird's nerve. Driven to a final stand, and still in defiance.

Danny winced as the wound on his arm continued to bleed, and, now feeling effectively dizzy, he nevertheless dragged himself forwards, breathing ragged and unchecked.

For a split second-just a split second-the three had shifted their glances from him, to Jack pulling in a dumbfounded Jazz into the ghost RV.

But that had been all Danny had needed to silently phase into the frozen ground below him, still clutching the cold thermos he'd managed to grip from a snowy clump, nearby. Skulker hadn't knocked it too far out of reach.

But he'd only been able to glide so far before it became impossible, and the boy had fallen to the ground after rephasing through the Earth, nearly driven to tears as his body could no longer handle transfiguring back to his ghostly counterpart.

In a flash of translucent rings-just as Maddie had jumped up, swinging her head wildly around for her missing little boy-he had transformed back into a human just before Tucker pointed him out to four frantic humans.

"DANNY! DUDE-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

As if in response, Danny, breathing still unsteady, paused for a moment or two.

Then, raised the ghost thermos into the air, directly at Skulker's back.

~*~*~

Skulker inched closer to the trembling mess of feathers and plasm, looking amused.

"Well, now, Polly. Bit of a scare you gave me, huh? I was so ever afraid you didn't want to enjoy yourself in this game."

If looks could kill, Skulker would be left maimed in a pile of what used to have been limbs. The hunter chuckled merrily.

"Oh, I do rather prefer when my prey gives me a good fight. Don't worry; you'll get your due for it."

With another smirk, he raised his wrist's handgun directly at Malachite's chest cavity, still lightly snorting.

"Never fear. The ones who put up a decent fight get the honor of having their pelts hung on the wall-should the decoration be right.

And, judging by your feathers' color scheme, you'll look lovely on the mantle, next to your hus-!"

~*~*~

What. Was. Danny. THINKING?

Yes. Jack was going to ground Danny for this one. Quite possibly forever.

He staggered out of the car, feeling ready to inject the contents of his breakfast directly onto the ground as Danny aimed the Fenton Thermos directly at the ugly ghost hunter's behind.

Feeling hope flutter into fear, he swallowed as he raised his own ghost slasher, readying to fire.

If Danny managed to get ONE, there was still that turkey or Hunter to worry about….

Malachite pawed the ground with her bleeding foot.

She would not regret anything, now. Though she would have rather succeeded and died in the process, she could, at the very least, make him remember the sting of her kind.

She had lunged forwards…..

…and staggered back, eyes lost in a firestorm of light as astonishment rippled through her incredibly sore body.

~*~

Skulker had glanced back just as Danny had set the Thermos to fire…..

Too late.

In an explosion of light, the thermos released its full rage upon the screaming and struggling Hunter as he continued, fruitlessly, to attempt to scramble away.

Too late.

The Hunter ghost was swept into the inferno, and, still yelling in helpless rage, was drawn into the brilliant, green and silver appendage.

And, the boy thrust the lid on the thermos, still gasping as he took in the enormous, wide eyed bird that was again peering at him, this time in stunned incredibility.

But also a bit of weariness. It seemed she too, expected to know the same, unknown fate that had befallen Skulker in the odd device.

Danny staggered lightly, as he struggled to maintain balance on one leg. Meanwhile, Jack was cheering in the distance.

"C'mon, son-you can do this! You're a Fenton!"

Maddie whipped around to say something sharp that Danny couldn't catch.

Actually, judging from his swaying body and now, readily becoming more unfocused viosion….

Danny swayed, still keeping eye contact locked with the creature, thermos till clasped in his hands.

Malachite's bright eyes had pierced his own while he'd been falling. Remarkably enough, they had rather reminded the boy of the Ghost Zone fugitive, Wulf.

His own eyes flickered.

If he remembered correctly-for whatever reason, Malachite HAD saved him. Whether she had been planning to make a meal out of him or not, Danny the boy didn't know.

And didn't care.

The burning pain now rifling itself freely through his body, Danny cast the bird a small smile as he swayed once again.

"Y-You might want to get out here," he commented, watching the odd bird's face retort in surprise.

"I'm not going to…hurt you. And Skulker isn't either. I promise."

He cast a look at Malachite's scaly leg, wincing ever so slightly.

"At least….not more then he already has."

Malachite cast him a bewildered look as Danny lightly smiled once again.

And then, fell to the ground.

~*~*~

Malachite uncertainly made her way back to the child as the odd-glowing-machine-that-the-hunter-had-vanished-inside-of fell lightly to the side, a small green button now glowing ever so slightly on the side.

She nudged it ever so slightly with her beak, still caught in the frozen stasis of shock.

…..?

She had expected death that day. She had fully expected Skulker to overpower her, some point or another.

And now….the hunter himself was….

Was he dead? Was that what the boy had done? It certainly didn't seem so, for the child certainly lacked the look of a predator.

Not knowing whether to feel elated or not, disappointed or not-for she had just lost her chance to be honorfully reunited with her slain kin, but had…with the…child's help (she inwardly groaned at the thought. A _child_ had saved her-her pride was never going to recover from this one) she had succeeded in her fiery desire.

Why had the not dead and not alive boy helped her? She had settled their debt. Now, she owed the child her life. Splendid.

Nevertheless, Malachite bent her domed head over the motionless boy, who still lay in the concourse of frost.

_The boy…._

Much as her pride roared in fierce protest, she did have to meekly admit that the child-halfling-ghost did play…..a fair role….

She sniffed him very lightly, feeling curious.

How very interesting. Such an odd creature for the Hunter to seek out….and so very small. Malachite didn't even believe he would make little more than a mouthful-hardly a good meal. Not even a snack.

Still, Skulker most likely didn't threat to kill him after her because of that. She very much doubted that was the case.

The Halfling was a little one….must be a hatchling child. Perhaps twelve years-maybe fourteen, at best.

She blinked.

How very, very young. Gryphons that were the-ghost-human-hybrid-child's age would

Only be beginning to learn how to fly.

She watched the boy lying in the now impure snow-for red was falling was rapidly as green still dripped from her wings. Still, were she to return home and find the Spring….she was fairly certain healing could take place in perhaps two hours or so. At the very least, it would take her three and a half days to fully recover. Perhaps four.

Did the rules of ghostly reconstruction apply to the little one? Malachite gazed at him uncomfortably as the child continued to remain motionless. But she still heard and smelled his heart readily beat, so he still lived.

Honestly, was he not going to lick his wounds? Malachite bent over him, vaguely wondering if she was to do it herself.

He was still so very young…..

Malachie raised her head, vaguely noting that car tires were screeching on the road some ways away….and getting closer.

She didn't much care, once again. It was too easy to be preoccupied with the young one.

Where was his Mother? Would she not come for her injured little one?

The boy's scent was neither that of human or ghost….but he couldn't be completely unique. Surely his not-dead-and-not-alive mother was around SOMEWHERE. Surely, she must be worried.

The only other life forms around were those of humans. The boy must not have a relation to them-for they were one hundred percent flightless fleshlings.

So….who were these people? Surely not the boy's fellow kin-they reeked of human flesh and blood.

She bent her head again, uncertainly shielding him from the chill with an outstretched wing….and managing to drip green liquid on the child.

Ooops.

Again, he was rather intriguing-even for the still bleeding specter.

Ever more curious, she bent her head to the feebly stirring boy in the snow.

~*~

After somewhat becoming aware of his surroundings, the boy started, every nerve screaming in panic.

The bird….thing….hadn't gone away, like he had hoped.

It was…..nibbling at his hair.

Danny froze momentarily, heart thudding wildly beneath his ribs as he struggled to keep his now labored breathing in check, erotic though a task it was.

The bird didn't really seem interested in pecking Danny's brains out, which, needless to say, he was glad for.

Rather, the bird's actions seemed akin to those of a canary or a parrot's…though he certainly wasn't going to tell this thing THAT as it continued to sniff him, deadened eyes boring into his own.

A trembling palm made its way to the bird's enormous, scaly gray ankle. Malachite jumped ever so slightly, and sent him a reproachful glance in his wake.

Danny lowered his now green and red hand.

"S-Sorry…." He muttered, hand falling back to snow once again. He shot the bird a sympathetic glance, regardless.

"Ouch….that had….to hurt."

~*~*~

Suddenly, Malachite swung her head around, pupils narrowing to slits once again as Jack and Maddie aimed Spectral Rifles….

…directly at the bird once again.

Maddie scowled at Malachite, fingering her weapon.

_"Step. Away. From. My. Baby. _

She inched ever so closer, eyes burning with resolve.

**"Now."**

~*~*~

Again, these people had quite a bit of nerve….

The bird briefly considered slashing all five of these wretched people open and feasting upon their bodies, but thought better of it. Obviously, they still feared her.

Her pride felt slightly soothed by that particular balm.

Even injured, she was still one to be feared.

The-girl-who-had-a-scent-rather-like-Danny's-but-alive stepped forwards, a growl ready to escape her….

…but it soon dissipated under a wave of fresh concern for the boy who still lay curled up into a small ball on the patch of fresh snow, readily continuing to stain it with fresh crimson-!

She felt ready to faint, herself.

"Danny? Danny?!"

The bird switched its gaze from the orange haired girl to the boy she now finally affirmed was named…Danny.

Escaping would be easy, now. She simply had to claw her way directly into the ghost dimension before….

She cast a look at the little body still wracked with pain, even in unconsciousness.

Pity swelled inside of her rapidly as she considered the lone creature that still lay against the frost, pale skin readily blooming in while his midnight hair stood out in dark contrast.

The poor little hatchling.

~*~*~

The humans still readily circled her, eyes fixed carefully upon her. She knew that the guns would fire the minute she made a move.

What a rather dull thought. They were humans-not specters. She needn't fear their overly slow movements and reflexes.

Phhhfff.

It wasn't as if the bird had anything left to live for, anyways.

She had counterattacked Skulker while Predator and Prey stalked one another-and she had fully anticipated her death.

But she lived. And Skulker was….momentarily, at the very least, if not quite possibly forever….gone.

But the Halfling….

What was she to do with him….?

….

……………….

…dim acknowledgement of her plan swept through her body.

Yes.

Yes.

Why not?

She could, at the very least, help him recover from his own wounds back at her home. Malachite could easily take the child away from the human dimension-and directly into her own home in the Ghost Dimension.

Her eyes flickered back to the woman who was still giving the child resting near Malachite's foot a look of tender love and pain.

The bird pondered who she was.

Of course, taking the child, it seemed-would break the violet-eyed woman's heart.

But she was no thief. She was not…..taking Danny…..

….merely borrowing him.

She wanted the child. And wasn't she, as a gryphon, allowed to assert her authority in the way she might wish?

And, since the child HAD saved her…she might as well take him…under her wing, as the expression went. Ironic.

Very, well, then…

Malachite's eyes narrowed as she paused a minute or so, then, one swipe of her still injured foot, swiped a way directly into the empty chill of the air.

And a dim, emerald light, swept into the air, recomdandant of the very selfsame slash pattern the bird had left.

Jack's eyes widened.

He'd seen this kind of madness before-ghosts that could cut their ways into different dimensions.

But as long as the winged freak decided to leave Danny alone, it was all good. Everything was all-

In the blink of an eye, the bird's forefoot closed around the young hybrid.

~*~

_In the blink of an eye, the bird's forefoot closed around the young hybrid. _

Careful though Malachite had tried to be, she still brushed against Danny's injured leg.

The fourteen year old started slightly at the pain, and inwardly groaned.

Would this never e-?

But his mind abruptly ceased all thought as the forefoot curled itself around his limp body.

In a chorus of rifles being set directly to fire, Danny's began to frantically claw at the iron like bound, finding, much to his increasing panic, that the rings that he fully expected to burst at his waist-

….did not come.

Alarmed, Danny began to kick at his holds with his one good leg, but the grip merely tightened.

And Malachite, after a few, wobbly steps-just as Maddie's reloader flashed into a blow-the bird staggered away, a shell shocked Danny still desperately fighting for freedom as Sam seized the motionless thermos, ready to send it crashing onto the bird's side-

Too late.

~*~*~

With an anguished shriek from behind him, and Maddie's face contorting into wild terror-Malachite leapt directly into the heart of the spectral round, Danny still secured in her steel grasp.

Someone fired at the hole-desperate for it to remain open-as Danny extended a helpless hand towards the fresh, chilly air of home.

Amity Park.

But, as the portal sealed neatly behind a readily panicking Danny, he only heard more anguished shouts and screams.

His hand fell ever so slightly, hope dying in his chest.

……….no.

~*~*~

The air was growing increasingly thin. It was getting extraordinarily difficult to take shaky breath after shaky breath.

Danny had long ceased fighting the iron like grasp of the overstuffed, black bird-and now, hundreds and hundreds of miles above the barren, mismatched doors and craters….

He now hung on for dear life, fear drumming itself directly into his very core.

He still could not transfigure back into a ghost.

And this bird had taken him away from his friends and family.

Danny's head spun sickeningly as he swallowed, feeling absolutely nauseous by this point.

Mentally, he berated himself, eyes stinging with the hysteria threatening to overtake him.

_Why, oh why, hadn't he forced this ghost into the thermos, too?_ It was as bad as Skulker-if not even more so!

He forced himself to take a deep breath.

And another….

…and another.

Boy. It was rapidly becoming harder to do so in here….

Shakily placing a hand at his bloodied arm, Danny accidentally let out a small whimper of pain as the broken flesh throbbed in angry response.

Malachite swung her head towards Danny, cast him a small glance, and then began to fly faster.

The talons-careful not to pierce his flesh, curled even more tightly around his body as the bird's tendrils squeezed ever so slightly, as if in a gentle reassurance.

Danny did not feel it.

~*~*~

Desperate to keep consciousness, whatever the cost, Danny still tried transforming into Danny Phantom.

Again.

And again.

And again….

…but no dice. All that came was a lurch of pain racing along his backbone like flame, and so, after awhile, he ceased trying.

Was this bird going to feed him to a nest of chicks…like her?

The thought was a little sickening. A chick the size of this poultry would have to be a little over his own height!

Or…did she just want to eat him herself?

Danny closed his eyes.

Okay.

He could get out of this one. If he managed to hold her off long enough-if he had to make do without powers….then Sam and Tucker could arrive with the Speeder.

His stomach lurched again.

There's a difference between flying and being yanked along by an enormous bird-thousands of feet in midair, not knowing whether it would spot some other, more preferable prey-and drop him.

He hung on.

~*~*~

It was surprisingly quiet, so high up.

There was little TO hear but the sound of the wind rustling as you rushed past.

There was an empty, somewhat solidarity gloom in the deafeningly silence that rippled only with the occasional gust solidating to a sorrowful lullaby.

After awhile, Malachite had noticed Danny beginning to shudder violently, and had simply clasped the boy even more tightly-before awkwardly drawing the boy closer-to her side and body heat.

Danny blinked at the notion.

Did she not want her prey to freeze to death before they got there….wherever that "there" was?

What the reason was, Danny didn't know.

And he was rapidly losing the battle to keep his eyelids open as he could now steadily hear the lulling throb of the bird's heartbeat.

Air growing increasingly thinner, feeling readier then ever to slip off into darkness, and

Overwhelming drowsiness tugging at his core, the young hybrid was, at last, pulled into it once again; face pressed against glossy midnight feathers.

~*~*~

Whew….

Okay, everyone. I certainly hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Poor Danny…

I'm experimenting with different writing styles (For those who haven't seen my work, I generally put an emphasis on thought and emotion) but one of my readers from TWITD suggested that I might want to try creating balance between that and the action actually going on. Huh. Interesting…..

Anyhoo, everyone-please, wish me luck in my classes. College is coming up rapidly-and graduation from high school is just next year. I hope to become an elementary school teacher-and achieve an ultima (Doctor's) degree in English after I go for my bachelor's and master's degree.

Bless you-and take care! ^^


	3. Chapter 3

Gryphon's Keep

Purpose

~*~

Everyone, I'm SO sorry I took so very long to update! D: (Cries in a corner.) I'm so, so, sorry. Gomen nasai, gomen nasai.

I'm trying to juggle my time....so, I hope I get this updated by tomorrow. *Hugs.*

Please take care, everybody-and I hope yours is a very happy Valentine's Day.

* * *

~*~*~

Quote:

_"Oh I have slipped the surely bonds of earth  
and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.  
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds  
and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of,  
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence._

_And there with silent lifting mind  
I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space  
Put out my hand and touched the face of God."_

_~*~_

They flew on. The door Malachite had slashed open with her talons to the living world had long since evaporated from behind the silent beast as it continued to quietly glide over the now ominous and silent terrain.

The Ghost Zone was an infinite realm of multiple universes-where scores of spectral creatures abode, were they not interested in enjoying the fiendish satisfaction of terrorizing the living. Malachite, of course, had no such interest, seeing as how-flesh-two-legs-human-alive-creatures-did-not-seem-very-appealing-to-feast-upon. Quite frankly, let them alone-and, were they to give her her peace, she could not hope for a fraction increase of the disinterest she held for them.

Sooner or later, they died (Rather quickly, seeing as humans had rather short life periods consisting to perhaps ninety years, at best, she thought) and, either they made peace-and-passed-beyond-the-thick-black-veil-that-was-known-as-death-death-death, and-they-went-to-the-places-no-one-was-quite-sure-what-they-were, seeing-as-the-beings-who-ventured-past-never-ever-came-back, much like THEY had done....

Shaking her domed head violently, as if attempting to ward off a series of nasty thoughts, Malachite flew on, her taloned foot still enclosing Danny's motionless body at an angle, so not as to disturb the fracture-she-would-have-to-lick-and-bind up-tight-tight-tight.

~*~*~

Either the beings went away, or, they became ghosts with some sort of obsession driving them to walk the Earth. They were capable of producing offspring, so, were they simply dead.....

....it was better not to get into such complications now. She had to hurry the child back to her chasmed home-and perhaps to the Springs. The bubbly-fresh-cold-icy-water-would-be-good-to-douse-the-bleeding-on-the-halfling-Danny's arm and leg.

Were the gryphon able to smile, she would have done so-albeit a bitter one, at that.

The elders of her race would have surely had her slaughtered were they to find that one of their own kind had brought someone's whose not-majestic-gryphon-blood-would-taint-the-water. Quite frankly, were they not hanging in Skulker's realm like overstuffed crows-(Here, her foot tightened drastically around the boy as she did so, not noticing his pained gasp).....

She would have welcomed it. Hopefully, after Malachite healed Danny somewhat, the boy would be on his way, and the scores would be even. Malachite could never leave with the burden of everlasting shame that would surely come from being in someone's debt, even someone as odd as a not-dead-not-alive.

Once that occurred, and she-could-send-him home after a few days, Malachie intended to throw herself from the peaks in a final flight.

And then crash land straight into the ground, where her broken body could decompose in peace. It wasn't as if she truly had anything left to live for, anymore-once Danny was alright.

Her eyes flickered, and her pupil moved slightly to better observe the young hybrid's motionless body-caught-in-the-safety-iron-cage-of-her-talons.

The wing pulled the small-halfling-not-dead-not-alive's body closer to the heat still emanating from Malachite's aching chest cavity. Skulker HAD gotten a fair amount of hits in, but now that-the-hybrid-seemed-to-have-made-him-go-away-using-that-infernal-odd-contraption of his, once she made it past the border of this sector of the Zone, she could take a small, much needed rest after licking and binding up Danny's-injuries.

Speaking of the boy......

The boy continued to sleep, a small frown upon his face as his chest frame rose and fell with the difficulty of breathing that came from these once-buffeting-winds. Now, after an-hour-or-two-had-passed, the wind-had-died-down-to-a-silent-not-there-emptiness-that-hollowly-rang-out-a-grim-silence.

She flew on-slightly faster then before, but she ascended no higher.

~*~*~

Without a guiding wind, it simply made it all the more difficult to glide. Malachite continued to flap her wings-albeit somewhat laborously.

This part of the Ghost Zone was.....not much-of-a-tourist-attraction. The bird-was-glad-of-that, seeing as, even with-the-propoganda-of-her-race-being-decimated-that-ripped-through-these-realms-like-wildfire, beings still feared to tread in-the-dark-shadows-falling-from-the-occasional-cliff-her-people-had-been-glad-to scale-off-of before-selecting-a-delicious-bout-of-prey-stupid-enough-to-become-lost-in-the-silent-realm-of-ancient, powerful, and to-tear-and-devour and lick their bones.

Specters still feared to tread in these dark, looming shadows, where demons lurked-in-the-midst-of-great-and-terrible-places.

How odd was it that she was bringing a child to-these-empty-echoing-parts?

She cast down an uncertain look at the ghost-boy-once-again. It would only be until he-recovered, and-they-had-properly-settled-the-score. It wasn't as if anyone were around to object over such a thing.

Malachite wondered what Kunzite would say were he to discover that she was forced to tend for the boy to restore her lost honor. Knowing-her-mate, he would-not-mind-very-much, as long as she kept them away-from-the-little-hatchlings, who-might-assume-Danny-was-one-of-their-own, or-worse, lunch.

Hopefully, the child would not catch cold in these altitudes. Wincing as emerald tears continued to fall from her weeping, scaled leg, past the shackle Skulker had left upon her slashed leg, she fluttered past the silent, sober gray catacombs of the caves.

Almost there. She did not dare try to slash open another portal to her home-she would-only-make-herself-bleed-faster-until-she-lost-conciousness.

And that, in the middle of the sky, would be the end of them both.

A domed eye snicked shut as the pupil dilated underneath the lid.

Gryphons would not demean themselves by living in such hideous outcourses such as cliffs or caves. Oh, no-where on Earth would there be any regality in that?

After-their-second-war-with-the-humans, which was triggered when a foolish hunter broke their-peace treaty and smashed several-eggs-that-belonged-to-her-race, the gryphons drove out the humans (Under the rule of Prince Aragorn) and, in the spoils captured by the enemy, simply burned down the silent-villages-where-not-one-creature-insisted-upon-staying, and settled into the homes of the nobility, furnishing them to their needs.

There were many impractical items for human use that were carelessly thrown away, but the finery had been kept-and guarded most jealously. Malachite and Kunzite had selected a particularly exquisite moor known simply as '_Resurgam,' _and had lived thus in the fading grandeur that was their ancient castle, expecting their first hatchlings to be-born-soon.

Until Skulker had come into their lives.

With a heavy sigh, Malachite began to flap her wings harder, seeing as there was no breeze in the deathlike hush to help her ascend over the clifftops.

And there, stained glass windows, looming towers, ivy, thorns, and briars grown inexplicably over once had been the courtyard-

~*~*~

She had thought, after Skulker had ambushed her-that she would never see her home once again.

Funny, the way fate configurates its designs over and over again.....

Like an enormous raven, she silently swept over the all too familiar landscape, eyes narrowing as she did so.

The stone walls had long since cracked in many places-and stone cherubs and angels had been overcome by a sea of moss and wear. In many places, the angels had simply lost one or both of their wings, white splinters of feathers falling as easily as the cobalt midnight ones did from Malachite's body.

She flew on.

* * *

Once cultivated trees and orchards had completely grown into a chaosed frenzy of wild shrubbery. Fountains that had once bubbled lively with cool water were now desolate-and their statuettes had been sorely modified as time performed its terrible chorus.

Some of the castle structures had crumbled from the walls. Numerous though the damage had been, the castle was enormous, regardless-and the stained glass windows, which, in the case of a brighter day, sweetly shone through the faded sea of color to send an ocean of colored light back into their homes walls in a catacomb of artistry and spangled, glimmering light.

But there was none of that, today. Just as there would be no rifling through the treasures they had seized from the humans in their second war. Quite frankly, the only things Malachite wished for was water, a good elk to devour in the woods, and perhaps some rags torn from the silks the ladies of the court had to used to wear on coronations to bind up the boy's injuries.

The raven-haired boy was still motionless, which concerned her. More then likely, the child was going to break out into a fever from all of this bleeding. Hopefully, it would not matter if she used ghost or human medicinal means, as long as it managed to work.

Already, one of his wounds looked like it was healing along the edges....but, while that was good, she would have to soak it numerous times before it was ready to be bound. As for his leg, she would have to tear a tree apart to get a good stick to make a splint.

What she would not give for an easier rate of binding these.....

~*~*~

Finally, as Malachite flew over the castle, some two miles east, she finally found, much to her satisfaction, the _Characti' kroshi no wybaki, _well hidden by the trees that loomed menacingly over this silent place, stillness only broken by the ever bubbling stream of water cascading from the nearby falls.

Only Gryphons had ever come here to drink and swim. That was the nature of things. It was a taboo she was breaking tonight.

Malachite only bowed her crescent head at the thought before uncertainly taking hold of a corner of Danny's already ripped and bloody shirt into her steel like beak, still uncertain of how to handle a...not-dead-not-alive. Were they as fragile as the living? As nearly impeccable as the dead?

...or perhaps somewhere inbetween? That sounded about right.

Lowering her now very stiff, mostly uninjured leg that had been supporting the child for most of their flight somewhat reluctantly, Malachite uncertainly tugged Danny's still body-like that of a broken puppet's-over the silver jets of water still rapidly falling from the damp stones from the chasms above.

Careful to keep her talons away from the boy's already bruised and tattered skin, she at first dipped Danny's hand into the crystalline water, and, upon realizing he was not-going-to-wake-and-panic-and-begin-to-hurt-himself, which was quite-good, seeing as she-was-unable-to-communicate-with-the-boy-that-she-was-not-a-threat to him, she began to submerge the boy's pale and bloody arm into the chill of the stream, watching small ribbons-fainter then that of a whisp of smoke or a ribbon of red-slowly begin to fade into the outcourse of the fresh water.

Satisfied after holding him there for ten minutes, Malachite somewhat awkwardly lifted the boy's arm, and began to fussily lick at the angry flesh, tasting the rusty-salty-red-red-red-red-in-her-mouth-from-blood-that-was-not-hers, and, as her tongue glided up and down on the irate flesh of the wound, she noticed the ghost boy trembling slightly under the odd, painful ministrations.

Well...to see the boy moving at all after his blood loss was quite good. It would be awhile yet before he could fully regain conciousness, however.

Her rough tongue ran up and down the wound, occasionally licking it in patterns as she took in the boy's unique scent. Odd it was, it was not a bad one. Not for the first time, she wondered-who-his-parents-were, or WHERE they were. Certainly, they must be worried. Did the boy have any brood-mates?

But she would return him, soon. Indubitantly, a boy who came from a family who must be of the same half life standards would not be too difficult to find, should such a thing exist. She had not believed it to be possible.

And yet here the boy was. The makings of destiny had odd senses of humor.

As she finished her ministrations, she carefully lowered the boy into the cold waters once more, this time submerging all but his head and left shoulder as she clung to the fabric of his shirt.

It was readily becoming destroyed. Hopefully, Danny would-not-mind-very-much, seeing as how-the-sleeve-as-only-in-shreds, and the stains-could-perhaps-be-washed-away. But that was the least of her worries.

Withdrawing him from the icy pool once more, she continued to anxiously resume her ministrations.

~*~*~

She licked her beak slightly, hoping she would be able to rid her mouth of the rust-taste, soon.

Surely, licking was merely a more...animalistic habit, not for someone as grand as she believed herself to be-but it did work, for the most part. At the very least, she could dunk the child's arm once again to purify the wound before she bandaged it.

Hopefully, the boy-would-not think her a severe threat, and panic upon awakening. That would only prove to be disastrous. Danny would only hurt himself.

But actions spoke louder then words, and hopefully, the child would understand. If not upon awakening, she would simply knock him out or tie him down. It was a grim thought, but it as may well be necessary. When the hybrid woke, she would come to that bridge when she did.

Tugging Danny's body from the freezing waters at last, she dragged him upon the stone before taking hold of the youngling once again, and, staggering slightly, took to the air.

She could address her own wounds, later on. It was not of major concern to her, right now.

* * *

An odd find, indeed.....this boy....

After dragging the teen to the dais that was in the former courtroom in her home, she paused, pondered the boy a minute, then hurried off to find the proper materials.

Impatiently, she tore long ribbons from the once extravagant ballroom dresses still hanging in faded closets, and, once securing her stick in which to make a splint for the boy, had hurried back to the boy still irregularly breathing from where she had left him on the steps.

~*~

It had taken awhile to manage-and she had had to twist Danny's head this way and back to shift the boy's bandages properly. An act made most awkward, due to the fact that Danny was still as motionless as ever-aside from the scattered, uneasy breaths he was capable of producing.

Feeling anxious, she clasped the child in her taloned foot once again-and, paused momentarily.

Where did she take the boy? Not too many rooms-numerous though they were-were actually suitable for habitation. Only her own furnishings were actually capable of said feat-but would the boy prefer his own quarters?

Feeling weary, she tugged Danny Fenton up the flights, careful not to disturb his still fractured leg.

* * *

This chamber would simply have to do.

It was clean and encased by solid walls, the room still held the same collection of ancient furnishings, archaic décor, and miscellaneous tatters, all hung with shadows and signs of age.

But the halfling-boy-should-be-safe-enough.

As she lowered the boy onto the enormous four poster, pausing to awkwardly drape a fur furs and satins upon him, seeing as it seemed the right thing to do, Malachite took one last glance at the boy, and then, quietly limped away from the room, exhaling wearily as she made her way to a room that had been completely demolished years ago-and raised midnight wings before taking off once again into the late evening silence. She needed to clean her own wounds.

A faint breeze rippled the area, and, in the cracks of the stained glass windowpanes, a slight breeze rippled Danny's midnight spikes.

~*~

As Malachite withdrew her sore leg with a slight sigh, she blinked once again, shaking the pearl like drops of water from her glossy black feathers as she did so.

It would only take a few days to recover entirely. Honestly, she healed rather quickly, even for a ghost.

As she wearily sank to the stones, simply not in the mood to return to the castle stones, she moodily stared into the distance, eyes sober.

What was she to do with the boy.....?

Though he had saved her-and she was compelled to do likewise for the poor boy, well....

She buried her head in her wing.

She only hoped he would recover soon-for her own sake as well as his. Quite frankly, her mission had been done. Skulker was...gone.

Wasn't he?

Malachite shook her head.

Of course he was. He had to be.

Mission completed. Her family had been avenged.

And, now, there was nothing left for her to stay here-save for the child.

Before she could leave-before she could close her eyes for the final adventure-she still had to conclude that the boy would be well. He was her last lingering thread that still bound her to this world-unwillingly or not.

He was her last purpose.

~*~*~

Whew....sorry this chapter is a tad short, compared to the others. My bad-but I hope to update once again.

Basically, Malachite doesn't really want to be alive, anymore, as you can probably already guess....D:....poor thing.

We're shifting to Amity Park, soon enough-and we'll keep moving!


	4. Chapter 4

Gryphon's Keep

Bloody Feathers

_Coffre-fort pour maintenant, mais pour combien de plus long? _

Hallo, everyone! Gosh, I missed you...I hope you're all doing well. Forgive me for taking such an abominably long time to update this segment...I hope my readers are still out there. Gomen nasai.

I had to think this story out a little bit before I could continue. Originally, this tale was going to be sort of short and sweet, and to the point, but now...I think I wouldn't mind adding a little plot twist of sorts. Heh. :D I very much hope you enjoy.

Also, instead of flashing back to Amity Park, we're in for someone else's perspective. Hope that's okay with you all.

Please, take care, everyone.

* * *

Quote:

_"Oh I have slipped the surely bonds of earth  
and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.  
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds  
and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of,  
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence._

_And there with silent lifting mind  
I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space  
Put out my hand and touched the face of God."_

"Here's your tea, sir."

"Thank you, Elizabeth."

As the maid quietly bowed before tiptoeing out the door, Vlad watched her go, close the mahogany door, then sighed before picking up the small, warm little teacup and saucer before taking a small sip. Perfect. Taking another sip, as he quite enjoyed star anise tea, he then lowered the small cup before absently returning to the computer screen waiting expectantly on the redwood desk.

Dully, he clicked on a few articles on the glowing screen, going over the latest stock interest rates of the Dalv corporation before returning to the cell phone waiting expectantly near his wrist, and carelessly made a call or two to a few of his executives, informing them of the latest trend on the stock market uprisings. Ending the call before his employees could even bid him a good evening, Vlad snapped his phone shut impatiently before too, turning to his computer, saving the progress he'd made on new documents before turning the computer off with another sigh, this one, an alleviated one.

He leaned back in his leather chair, stretching slightly before reaching for his teacup once again, and took a longer, deeper, more pensive sip. Ah. This certainly was much better. This just got so _tiring_, day in, day out, that the man was ready to scream at some points. So repetitive...

With a shake of his head, the man lowered his cup with a small frown, and then, checked his watch. Half past five. Hmm. He'd finished a little later then usual, but there had been more work to be done today, so he supposed bygones. At the very least, he'd have all day tomorrow off to relax for a little while. He'd done enough for a bit, so his executives could catch on with what was left.

For awhile, the man simply sat there in his office, as the hour dwindled closer to six. Glancing at his watch again, the man incredulously glanced at the door, then at his watch one more time.

Where the devil was Skulker? The hunter-specter was supposed to have returned to him by now. Supposedly, he was bagging some other creature that stalked the ghost zone to stuff before putting it in his parlor. Hopefully, it would be HIS, and not Vlad's. Lord knows Skulker had already given the man a variety of dead animals as ornaments for places like his Summer home in the Rockies...

But the man rarely cared what prey the hunter chose to target...pardoning one. His brow furrowed, and his eyes darkened.

The hunter was an abysmal one at best, considering he'd failed twice this week to fetch him Daniel Fenton. Shocking. He really ought to hire better help. Perhaps if Fright Knight was to be found, he could actually fetch the younger hybrid, and bring him to Vlad's home in Wisconsin. If matters came to worst, he'd grab the boy himself. He'd had enough of these games.

As Vlad picked up his tea with a most chilled expression, the cup began to tremble from just how hard the billionaire was squeezing it.

It had been so easy for him to envision Danny as some prototype for the perfect half-ghost child he'd always wanted. But after all these failed attempts at cloning the real thing...

...it wasn't enough, anymore. He'd had enough of waiting; enough of schemes. Enough of this ridiculous work he needed to do-after all, his fortune hadn't just been set in stone, it had been set in solid gold.

Work could wait. But the wife and son Jack stole would, could, and should not. Jasmine had betrayed him into believing that she wanted to be with him for days one end. Perhaps she could follow her Father...no. He really didn't care for the girl, but he certainly didn't want Maddie anguished over the loss of a child. He didn't care how it was done; he just wanted his wife and son. Jazz was just an addition to the package deal. He could live with that.

Vlad bent with a small frown over his desk, fingertips interlaced.

His plan was simple enough; there within lay the genius, he supposed. Capture Danny while Jack was in plain sight, disgrace the man for his failure to get his own son back in front of Maddie, then, later on, send a note to the oaf to come to a designated, isolated occasion with orders to come alone with Maddie, else Plasmius would kill Danny. Not that Vlad would do such a thing, but Jack, panicky idiot he was, would immediately do as was bidden.

He'd be ready, and clone himself. Then, while one of them kept Madeline busy, and later, incapacitated just enough so that she would neither be hurt, or be able to be involved in the battle, while Jack was killed by Plasmius' clone. Then, the real Vlad, in human-guise, could steadily leap out and 'defeat' the clone, after having 'rescued' an unconscious Danny from the evil Wisconsin's ghosts clutches.

Madeline would mourn her husband's loss, but she'd come around. After all, Vlad would risk his life for her and Danny-and actually succeed. Who would she love better?

The problem was Danny. He wanted the hybrid child, too! But there didn't seem to be a trace of either bribery or blackmail that would coax Danny to become Plasmius' apprentice. But the man must have overlooked something; some small detail that would make Danny come to him willingly. That would complete his happiness. That was all he wanted.

Perhaps instead of bringing the boy here, he ought to try going to him in Amity Park, instead. Usually, such discussions usually...well, always ended up in the two hybrids fighting, but Vlad could pick around until he found the boy's Achilles' heal. Some weakness that Vlad could exploit to bring the boy to him.

Vlad stood stiffly. He'd think about this later. For now, it was almost supper, and Skulker had not yet reported to him. Flicking open his cell, Vlad casually dialed the mainframe that was on Skulker's wrist, downloaded so the two could easily talk to one another...

...and it rung...

...and it rung...

...and it rung. No answer.

Startled, Vlad tried again. Still nothing. Had something happened?

Hand underneath his chin, Vlad wondered vaguely if Daniel had simply recaptured the ghost in his thermos, and had yet to throw him back to the Ghost Zone. This had happened before. Rolling his eyes at the incompetency of his own employees, Vlad shook his head on his way to the door, before his hand had paused on the doorknob.

But what if that wasn't the case? Skulker had left early this morning for the _Ghost Zone_. Today was Friday; Daniel should have been in school. And he didn't usually go after specters that were ALREADY in the Ghost Zone, save Pariah Dark.

So...if Daniel hadn't captured Skulker, why was there no signal coming through? A malfunction, perhaps? Was Skulker hunting in an area that hindered a service line? Or...

Now troubled, Vlad pondered on what exact type of prey Skulker had been hunting that day. He'd had a bright light in his green eyes-one that Vlad remembered not seeing for awhile this morning. Obviously, if it hadn't been Daniel he'd been pursuing, it had to be something grandiose, at the very least...

In a flurry of dark rings, Vlad slipped into his ghostly counterpart, and slid through the floor, making a beeline for his lab's portal. Perhaps he'd go to the hunter's lair, and see if Skulker had yet arrived. He was going to give that robotic idiot more then a reprimand if he were fooling about...

* * *

Vlad raptly knocked at the glowing door, doing his best to ignore the stuffed, deer-like creature Skulker had hung on the entranceway. Disgusting.

But nothing. Now irritated, Vlad knocked more loudly, which resulted in deep, echoing booms to reverberate throughout the large ravine Skulker had enclosed his 'fortress' in.

"Skulker? Skulker, hurry up," he complained. Certainly, the ghost had to discover at least _one_ weakness the boy had during their battles. Just a small one would suffice.

But still, only silence greeted him.

Puzzled and annoyed, Vlad simply phased through the spectral door, looking around at the dark house the robot inhabited so regularly.

Everywhere he looked, there was the sight of emaciated, stuffed animals and beasts with wide eyes, pelts strewn about the floor to form a carpet of sorts. Vlad carelessly passed numerous wreaths of dead animals, blankets made entirely out of fur, fangs, claws, and teeth decorating frames, bones everywhere...

The sight would have driven people like Daniel's friend Ms. Manson into hysteria. Everywhere was a ephilogy of death; mink, hundreds of varieties of bears, moose, fish trophies, oxen, eagles, crows, rodents of all sizes...

From the very old creatures that Skulker had caught by the sheer fact that they were slow and weary, from the very small plucked from their nests and mothers' sides before they were given the 'prestige' of ending up in this menagerie of empty bodies and wings that would no longer fly. But Plasmius simply passed each blank eyed creature staring while seeing nothing with a small, disdainful look before the specter accidentally ran into something.

Startled, Vlad let out a soft grunt and a scowl as he glided back slightly, and rubbed irritably at his face before turning a fierce glare into whatever he'd bumped into.

Anger died almost immediately, as shock readily dilated red orbs. The air in the man's lungs were promptly knocked out of his lungs, as his mouth dropped softly.

"Butter biscuit..." he whispered, incredulously drawing a hand to the soft plumage of the stationary creature in front of him with a startled gasp.

Had the creature been alive, Vlad knew his arm would have been snapped in two for such an offense made as to actually touch it. Still shaking his head, Plasmius drifted around the lifeless creature, still speechless.

It was a gryphon. A true, actual gryphon, and Skulker had caught one. The hybrid had thought that they'd all been extinct, by now. Vlad had to bend his head slightly to look completely upwards at the enormous, raven-like creature, its eyes staing lifelessly back at his.

Just how long ago had Skulker captured this beast? Gryphons used to be the equivalent of dragons in...the time before, as the Ancients claimed to say, whatever that meant. Their beaks were just as sharp as...

Vlad slowly drifted up, and ran a gloved hand around Kunzite's beak to confirm what his spectral books had dictated. Yes...it was true. As pointed as a dagger, and as sharp as a railroad spike. His fingers brushed past the enormous beak, trailing down to the neck.

Gryphons were sentient creatures-as intelligent as any human could be, or, as the book would daresay, magnificently more intelligent...though their immense pride was so often their undoing.

They devoured several pounds of meat a day, but the nobilist faction of the species were often far too stuck up to actually attack humans' livestock for their meat, or, barring that, the humans themselves. Certainly, they had a tremendous faction for holding a grudge, and would declare war on humans in some cases, robbing the corrupt nobles who had sent their knights out to destroy the gryphons' eggs. Once they'd finished tearing off the nobles' heads and feasted upon their flesh, they often seized the beautiful estates left behind to raise their young in.

So many of the 'savage' gryphons had spurned this heartily, and continued to mock those of their kind that primarily spent their time hunting and pondering and raising their young instead of pursuing the rush that came from attacking villages, and devouring people alive. But one by one, as people turned to more and more desperate matters to protect themselves and their property, they sprayed poison on themselves and their livestocks that would kill the gryphon in question trying to eat them, who was often too driven by the call of his own belly and stupidity to really note that the humans smelled like acid and dead plants.

Traps were laid out. The gryphons' nests were ambushed. Sleeping mates were attacked. And thus, when so many of the wild kind cried out for a bloodthirsty revenge, the villages had gathered together in a pact to be ready for them. The king's knights were called in, and every weapon that could be spared or crafted was thus brought forth.

One by one, the gryphons had swooped from the sky, screeching. And though many a soldier's life had been extinguished, the birds continued to plummet down. But even the very last one, surrounded by swords, wing bleeding exceedingly, had gone blindly charging forwards to its death.

Vlad shook his head as he examined the bird's razor blade like talons.

What those knights and fools never realized until an alchemist came to the battlefield of the slaughtered gryphons to experiment on their pigmentation was precisely what they held. Had any common mortal known about it, every young fool of the valley would have been creeping up to attempt to hunt a gryphon...and probably be horribly mangled in the process.

Vlad had read this passage in his book so many times that the book's crease automatically opened to that particular page whenever he was in the mood to browse over it:

"-and such that it is, that while nobody can truly know whether the Hûthvír's talle can actually be proven correct concerning the theory of the Gryphon's evolution, or whether or not the alchemist Lydia had indeed succeeded in creating the species by a mixture of potent sorcery and science, but one thing has thus been proved, that when the inexplicable evil of slaughtering such majesty is done, with a few choice words, the whole heart pulled from the Gryphon's ribcage will-

Vlad started as a coil of dread and realization struck him.

"THAT FOOL!"

In his rage, Vlad struck out at Kunzite, who swung alarmingly before swaying back onto its awkward perch. But Vlad, eyes a bloody, brilliant red, neither noticed nor cared.

A gryphon's heart...did Skulker merely discard it, with the flesh? That was worse-far worse- then continuously discarding sapphires over a cliff for twenty years! But it wasn't the worth of the organ that concerned Vlad-though he knew that many in the ghost zone would pay a dear fealty to receive. But it was hardly money that interested him. He'd certainly had enough of that.

There were so very many uses of the Gryphon heart...one use was to devour it, and thus, undergo a terrifyingly painful malady that would nonetheless transfix you into immortality. But Vlad had only heard of three people of legend who did such a thing, one threw himself over a cliff to die, one stabbed himself over the mortification that he had outlived his entire family, and one had been walled up alive. No...Vlad didn't want THAT usage for it, oh, no.

Perhaps Skulker had still kept it...in a jar? Sometimes he kept the brains or kidneys of creatures particularly hard for him to bring down, nauseating though it was. Maybe he kept the heart?

Possessed of that hope, Vlad hurriedly glided away from Kuzite's stationary body and those of the dead chicks scattered about him to an enormous cupboard that contained an article of organs. Perhaps the ghost had kept just ONE...

Jars shattered to the floor, brine spilling everywhere as mucated flesh lay discarded, veins cold as Plasmius impatiently broke jar after jar after miserable jar.

No. No. No, no, no, no!

He had to bite back a shriek of anger as he let the last jar-one containing a gazelle's swollen right lung-fall to the floor.

They were all either too big or too smile, and he'd seen the diagram of a gryphon's heart to know that none of these detestable organs were one! THE IDIOT! HE WAS GOING TO STRANGLE SKULKER WHEN HE-

...?

Vlad's eyes alighted on a small book resting on a pedestal nearby, and this momentarily stemmed the flow of the specter's fury, if only for a moment. Since when did Skulker read?

Still sulking, still furious, he drifted over, and carelessly pulled out a small strip of cow stomach that was acting as a bookmark for the page Skulker had been re...no...

Vlad had to squint to make out the words on the faded cream sheet of paper. Hmph. Skulker's handwriting was abominable at best...

After passing through a list of dead animals Skulker prously had taken down, along with a small journal entry, Vlad raised an eyebrow. Was this a log, of sorts? He never guessed that the hunter had one, though he supposed he ought to have known. The ego-maniac hardly found it enough to ghang up hunting trophies as it was...

He scanned the date, which, to his surprise, had just been that morning. He must have written it just this morning.

_-and, so, I will have to try doing embroidery WITH the bunnies then without. But never mind that..._

hAve fOUnd thAt sTuPid, overBlowN bIRD at LaSt. TOOk her By suRPRise, and NeARly stabbeD her TO dEath. SHe's makinG a rUn foR thE hUman worlD, but I woN'T let HeR go ThIS time. ShE's bleeding, And wHile I'D RaTHEr kiLL hEr mySelF, I doN't mind if thE laST gRyPhon dies FaCing me as A bloody CarCaSS.

So, Skulker had pursued her...but he'd never came back. Had the bird destroyed him or eluded him?

Vlad desperately hoped that it was the latter. He still needed Skulker, as he did have his useful connections, but to have the blasted bird's heart...

He smiled, ivory fangs glinting in the dark.

It would only be too perfect. He'd tear that writhing bird's heart out if it meant winning Madeline's...and Daniel's. The heart was authenticated for having extreme supernatural ties...but what it could do in the hands of someone with prestige as high as his own...

Vlad's fingers twitched, dreaming of wrenching the heart out of its confines with a small, curved smile.

That heart would give him what he most desired...at some price he was probably quite sure he could pay. After all, he'd-

The man broke out of his reverie for a moment as a loud ringing sound reverberated throughout the small lair. Confused, Plasmius suddenly remembered his phone, and hurriedly flicked it on. Perhaps Skulker had already hunted down the beast, but hadn't skinned it just yet. Vlad hoped he hadn't, in any case...

"Hello?"

But to his surprise, it wasn't Skulker's voice that answered him at all. Vlad's neck prickled as a sob was heard echoing through the phone...belonging to a voice that was all too familiar to him...

"Madeline?" he asked anxiously, tugging at the collar of his starkly alabaster suit.

"M-Maddie, I..."

He paused. It was obvious that Maddie was crying, but whyever for?


	5. Chapter 5

Gryphon's Keep

_Canzone di comodità. _

Nocturnal Lullaby

Bonjour and salutations, everyone. Qwerty (My computer) was down for awhile, but she's up and kicking again. *Hugs Qwerty.* This story is an intriguing new sort of venture for me, so I hope you all enjoy the ride!

We're shifting around...and a few rather unsavory creatures are lurking about...not much happens in this chapter. The story REALLY moves along in the next one...

Please, take care, everyone.

* * *

_Quote:_

_Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care  
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath  
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,  
Chief nourisher in life's feast.  
~William Shakespeare, Macbeth_

There wasn't much else to do other then to watch the boy continue to sleep. His face had broken into a cold sweat awhile ago, which had concerned Malachite, as she was not at all sure if licking a wound was the correct thing to do for a half liveling-deadling child. She had seen plenty of other mothers tend to their young's wounds whenever the hatchlings happened to meander about and place their beaks into trouble.

The creature shuddered in the darkness, feeling a sharp series of pangs accost her own heart. Malachite buried her head beneath her wing for a moment, resisting the urge to cry out. As noble and as glorious she believed herself to be, her frame was shaking violently, regardless of her attempts to cease her endless trembling. At last, she bit into her own silk-like plumage, wincing at the vehement discomfort she felt as her skin beneath the thick layers of fur and feathers burn.

But focusing on the pain helped. Just as focusing on the now slightly receding pain of the wounds that Skulker had left her helped distract from the screams of misery she felt wailing inside of her heart.

She would never be like her friend-and-brood-mate, in terms of watching her eggs sprout forth new life, a life she and Kunzite had created, and mother her children into becoming wise, dignified, beautiful creatures in their hollowed race. She had been so excited-so terribly excited-when she had laid her last egg, and had simply watched them for awhile, Kunzite at her side. He had been so eager, so happy, so proud. She had buried her head in his neck, and purred softly at the thought of the chick-lings hatching into the world, croaking lightly, wet, sticky, dazed, warm, and confused. Oh, how it would feel, to watch and encourage the little ones' progress from outside of the egg as they fought to free themselves of their confines, to hiss in encouragement when their beaks, already as sharp as broken glass, tore their way through the steel-like egg shell that belonged to a gryphon?

What would it have been like, while Kunzite had screeched his proud cry about the castle grounds, letting all know of the wondrous miracle that had just taken place...to have gently guided stumbling chicks to her side, and licked them of the sticky residue that the egg's membrane had left behind?

It had to be marvelous. The best moments of a life to live, to greet others into the world. But Malachite could never know such a blessing, now. Her chicks...never hatched. Skulker had destroyed their brood while they still slept in their eggs, and Kunzite while he was at it! She would never be a mother, not with the creature she loved!

Her species mated for life. There could be no other then Kunzite. Malachite's emerald eyes burned in the darkness.

Even if she could find another, there was...

...no one left. No second chance. She could not adopt a broodling whose mother and father passed away. That had happened before, in the valley. After undergoing a quiet ritual, mother and or father pulled the little one into their circle of plasm.

Malachite was not foolish. Family went so far beyond feathers, talons, and wing colour and size. She lay her head on her side, unconsciously curling into a small ball as the misery churned away at her insides.

...but what could she have, now? There were no other gryphons to be found. She was alone. Alone in the world, with even her entire race decimated behind her! There was nothing and nobody to go back to! Everything she had had been DESTROYED!

It was gone. Gone! GONE! Malachite let out a strangled, soft groaning sound, from deep behind her throat as her eyes continued to soundly burn.

There would be no family, no time to speak of friends. Skulker had stolen that away from her, but the halfling child had captured him in the strange device that lay just inches away...

She had sniffed at it, tapped at it. But whatever odd works that the boy had employed in the little green and platinum box were keeping the hunter bound. Would it do so forever?

Malachite desperately hoped so. There could be no greater punishment then to remain forever locked, with no wings to spread to the sky, in stillness, in silence, with no way to speak, move, or talk. In absolute isolation.

Forever. It was Skulker deserved. She would find a way to speak to the halfling boy, some way or another-and ask him if he could keep Skulker eternally locked in such purgatory.

It was a fate Malachite knew she deserved, but she was far too terrified to embrace it, much to her shame. Was she little better then a coward?

Of course she was. She failed to warn the other gryphons of Skulker's intentions. She had failed her unborn children, who had gone before her to the Ever after. And she had failed her Heart-keep, Kunzite. She deserved death. She deserved blood.

The creature omitted a deep, resounding sigh, loneliness biting at her like a pack of little dogs. Skulker should have killed her as well, but the halfling boy had...either destroyed or captured him. She did not know which.

Speaking of which...

Malachite raised her head, and swiveled her gaze to Danny's trembling form, his arm and leg still looking rather peculiar. Malachite only hoped that she had fixed the splint in a correct position, so that the bones would heal in all the right places. If they did not...the ghost bird did not relish the idea of having to break the teen's bones once more.

The room was dark. No light flooded into the timeworn stain glass window, and the only illumination seemed to be the boy's own pale visage. Did he glow while he was in his human form, too? That seemed unlikely to the bird, but...

She forced herself forwards, doing her best to ignore the chains dangling from her manacles rattling on the ancient stone beneath her as she heaved her aching form forwards.

Her beak dipped to his raven hair, and, out of curiosity, she began to nibble it again. Danny did not move, which pleased her, but she was not at all certain how he would react upon awakening. While Malachite was no longer celestial, but pathetic, she was still a powerful beast, and she didn't want the boy to become frightened and hurt himself.

But if he was well enough to consider attempting to slay her, Malachite wouldn't stop him. She ceased nipping at the raven spikes of hair, and bent to observe him more closely as he continued his troubled sleep in the aracheic folds of the canopy-four-poster bed.

He looked so small. Where could she find his mother and father? Surely they must be missing him. Were one of Malachite's children to be kidnapped, she and Kunzite would steadily seek someone's untimely and painful demise. Would she come looking for the boy?

Malachite thought for a moment, Danny's soft breathing the only sound opposite Malachite's own ragged one. Her eyelids snicked as she looked at him, pondering his outlandish, though not necessarily bad, scent.

If she were as determined as the boy, she would. She must be very proud of such a spirited boy.

A flare of jealously rippled in Malachite's insides, and she shook it off in surprise. Gryphons were far too noble to be jealous of any living should she envy the strange hybrid-boy? Regardless of his being half ghost, he was still half human. Filthy, common, stinking, murderous human. She should not keep her debt with the boy. After all, hadn't she wanted to die at Skulker's hands so that she could join her family in the Ever After and be at peace? She HAD wanted her revenge...but what good was it when a mere slip of a boy had stolen it from her? It could not be hers.

Her green eyes widened, dilated, and then began to turn a bloody red.

The boy should die. Yes. He was a scrawny weakling. Why should she tend for him? Humans had never kept their oaths with Gryphons. Plenty of peace settlements had been made between the two, but the humans always, ALWAYS broke them by slaughtering their young, breaking their eggs, and burning their homes! THEY WERE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE DEATH!

Malachite's breathing grew steadily more labored, and the bird raised her bleeding talon, her eyes still dilated, heart beginning to thud beneath her breast like a wild chorus of drums.

Y-Yes. The ghost boy...he...he should go. Humans were...evil. Weren't they? She turned her burning gaze to the boy, suddenly enraged, suddenly wanting to taste rust.

He had captured Skulker! But that had made him just LIKE the ghost-a hunter!

She raised her talons, readying herself to shake the boy so that he turned an even prettier shade of white as he gasped for breath, ould snap him in two, could...could...!

She would tear at him. She would raze the boy where he slept. She was ready. She could kill him. Malachite snarled, and readied herself for the lunge, for Danny's cry as she broke his little figure, so small, so small, so small-!

Malachite let out a screech as she plunged her claws directly towards Danny's face, heart still singing a savage song in her chest.

She felt the need to kill.

* * *

Just before they could reach their mark, and scar the boy for life...or for his eternal sleep, Malachite stopped abruptly, the taste of plasm still in her mouth. She stared at the sickly-looking boy, who was still shivering, who still felt hot to the touch.

Hot to the...

For a moment, Malachite's claws trembled, hovering over the boy's form, between life and death.

This was her chance for release. Once the boy was killed, she needn't stay in this heartless and evil world anymore! There would be no debt of honor-she could be done with it all! She didn't want to be alone anymor-

-he was hot. Was he sick? Had the water from the stream proved to be...? Humans were prone to festering infection. What if the boy were sick?

Completely distracted from thoughts of imminent blood and Armageddon, she stared at him, chest still hovering with adrenaline as she quietly considered the water from the grove. It was certainly clean, as the gryphons would have it no other way, on the point of being all but immaculate, but why would the boy not wake? Had his breaks been serious?

Malachite started, and violently shook her head. No! Why was she concerning herself over such matters! She could hurt the boy and be done with it! Be done with it! Be..

...done with...

Malachite's claws began to shake more heavily then ever before. And wild energy began to dilute under fatigue and...something else.

The hybrid-boy was only trying to protect the squabbling, dabbling humans, strange a prospect it was. Who knew...perhaps his Father was a ghost, and his mother a human? Or reverse? Malachite had not believed it possible, but what if a human and ghost had fallen in love, and had conceived the 'halfa' that was still lying quietly here, still looking ill, still so small and helpless and insignificant and odd and significant and...and...

He had trapped Skulker. If there had been no other option, would she not have done the same to protect her young? Or Kunzite?

She turned her softened gaze to the boy, feeling shame heavily multiply in her chest cavity.

The boy didn't know of her blood feud. Most likely, anyhow. He'd probably only been trying to protect his father's family. Or his mother's. Or...both, if possible...

_A trembling palm made its way to the bird's enormous, scaly gray ankle. Malachite jumped ever so slightly, and sent him a reproachful glance in his wake._

_Danny lowered his now green and red hand._

_"S-Sorry…." He muttered, hand falling back to snow once again. He shot the bird a sympathetic glance, regardless._

_"Ouch….that had….to hurt."_

Oh, fie! Malachite's foot fell to the ground as she hastily took a few steps away, the horrified bird trembling with...the_ filth_...of it all.

She had been about to destroy the boy. When he had done nothing wrong. He had avenged her kin's death, and she had been about to repay him by...!

Malachite let out a mournful keen as she stepped forwards, the boy's face still impassive. She hadn't meant it. The boy knew that, right?

But Danny slept on, face devoid of any knowledge of the violence that had just about taken place; the violence that would have ended his life. Even if the boy did not know of it, the point was that she had still contemplated the child's demise! But...but...she'd...

...she'd been lonely. There was a raging carcass of emotion in the brokenhearted specter's body, and all she'd wanted; yearned and craved for, was a moment of peace.

Her shoulders sagged with a tremendous weight.

Kunzite and her youth would never forgive her, now. She would only go to oblivion at Eternity's doors, and Malachite accepted that. But before she could appease the anguish in her own heart by ending it all, she needed to return the child to where he belonged. It was the least she could do, seeing as how he'd been hurt fighting the enemy that she had lead to him, purposely or not.

Malachite's tongue darted out, and it swiveled to touch Danny's face. He frowned lightly, as if he were being licked at by a dog, and turned ever so slightly, murmuring. Malachite withdrew slightly, her eyes returning back to normal, though now, a hefty sadness was painting the orbs.

Well, at the very least, she had gotten a reaction from him. Perhaps later on, she could go out and retrieve a buck or a cow in the woods, break it, and bring it back for the boy to eat, if he should consume meat.

...that brought up an odd question: What DID a half human, half ghost hybrid, eat, anyway? It had been such a long time since she had associated with humans, but they could go either way, from what she remembered of the Time Before. But what about now? Did she steal from humans to get food?

...that didn't seem right. And besides, only wild Gryphons were so pathetic enough to steal human baubles or trinkets, attracted by shiny or glimmery exteriors or humans' livestock. Her nose sniffed in disdain. Bah! What an idea!

Her eyes swiveled over to Danny once again, sober expression instantly overtaking her puzzled one. When the boy woke, she could find a way of asking. Somehow. If she could be greeted with anything other then a scream, well...

Her heart sank, if possible, even deeper, and she sighed as she clamored up to Danny's side, still glancing down at him anxiously.

After a day or two, she could fly him back home, if he could not get out of the dense ravine of thorns that hid the Gryphon's homeland and castle ruins. He could see a doctor-one that could treat him-on how to tend to his own injuries. Malachite was afraid of simply hurting him by this point, of regardless of what she did to ease the boy's suffering.

She dipped her head as she watched Danny wriggle slightly, endangering his limbs once again. Hesitating, Malachite pressed her beak against the boy's side until he ceased moving.

She shouldn't touch him. He would become as dirty as she was. As dirty and as worthless and as pathetic as she was. He didn't deserve that, but he also didn't deserve to mistakenly dislocate or cause irreversible damage to his arm and leg. Malachite had seen instances where such cases had occurred, and human medicine being so pitiable as it was then, resorted to having the limbs hacked off. The bird winced at the thought of the pale child's thoughtless deformation.

After all these years, humans had to improved medicine. They were always tinkering about with this sort of thing. But the last thing she wanted was to take a chance. She'd had enough of that. If she only had one duty left in life, couldn't she oblige for her mockery of honor's sake?

Laying her head on the fringe of the bed with a small sigh, eyes still fixated on Danny, should he start to move again. Small thing as it was, looking after him still beat doing absolutely nothing at all.

Her eyelids grew heavy after awhile, though the last thing she wished to do was sleep after a day like today. But her exhausted body was steering her towards unconsciousness so quickly that she had little option but to grudgingly oblige as she listened to Danny's soft exhalation and inhalation, over and over and over again...

Her eyes flickered wearily.

It was comforting to watch the boy breathe in and out, and be assured that at least one thing she'd done already displayed some fruits of her labor. That gash on the boy's forehead had long since faded to a lighter cut, which had already ceased bleeding. That was good. It was something.

It was not the same as going home to her family after defeating a threat, but, as Malachite could no longer have such a thing, she'd take what she could get as it was. Feeling a strange, tingling emotion fluttering lightly in her subconscious as she watched this strange child safely sleep was one.

Perhaps, Malachite thought before her body beckoned her to sleep. If that was as good as one could have it now, she'd take it anyway.


End file.
